"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." — E.B. White

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

This GREAT SONG, by Dan Zanes, stars in a very favorite memory of mine!

First when Sarah was a tiny toddler in her carseat. We'd drive around town with baby Sarah, Mommy n Daddy waving our arms in the air while we all sang along to this. To say folks gawked is an understatement. We LAUGHED n GIGGLED n hit replay a million times. Years later Sarah n Jack still dance around the kitchen table flapping their wings while I join in prepare dinner!

From the concert/video DVD entitled, All Around the Kitchen! on Festival Five Records.Festival Five Records is a record label making children's music, founded by the leader of the legendary Del Fuegos songwriter Dan Zanes

This pic/story Jack made in Kindergarten is one of my all time favorites.

"We like to/ I like to play in the barn on a rainy day"

Living in the country is awesome.

But it can also be a bit isolated with large distances between houses. It's not at all like the suburbs where kids can just walk outside and find a friend to play with...

We are blessed not only to have lovely neighbors, but also, the bestest clientsfriends who train with us. Most afternoons my kids are cavorting outside or yammering to whoever's in the barn aisle. They're even known to follow along through the fields on foot, talking nonstop, as riders cool out their horses after a lesson.

But when we have no visitors and the barn's quiet, they make up their own games!

"Hanging out" takes on a whole new meaning here.

As does hiking up hills... (of hay!)

And play simple games...

Maybe they're just simple minded?!

Tho we have no city sidewalks,
chalk drawings are plentiful in the barn aisle (clients often contribute).

As are bikes n rollerblades!

They also ride ponies through the fields with clients
or their dogs or goats following along.

There are no nearby gymnastics centers

Instead they use their beds!

They've had to learn to play together;
So they swing

and take turns sharing interests; be they scooters or babydolls!

"Rock wall climbing" occurs on the strong horse ties hanging down the barn wall... Volleyball and soccer are popular in the barn too. A while ago they made up armbands and tickets for mommy n daddy to come watch their game. We were encouraged to bring our lawn chairs (usually toted to horse shows) and CASH.

Jack shook his money box and rang the bell to signal game start, time outs etc.

* friends, I'm posting some OLD drafted posts to keep the pics n memories alive. We recently had a hard drive crash n lose pics (yes, again. I'm awful about backing up pics) so I value this blog even more as our family scrapbook.

Monday, June 9, 2014

"Have you ever wanted to eat chips with a spoon cause you didn't wanna get chip grease on your hand?"

"No but that's a great idea. Greasy fingers are bad for playing the gitbox."

*Make that chicken feet are bad for playing...

yes. yes. this was an unscripted "normal" farm finding. Another chicken in the house. yes, her name is Gorgeous 'cause she's gorgeous shades of gray. no. I did not put her there. I merely try to document this bizarre life I live.

All a-round the kitchen cock-a-doodle-doodle-doo... This GREAT SONG, by Dan Zanes, stars in a very favorite memory of mine! First wh...

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Learn to like what doesn't cost much.Learn to like reading, conversation, music.Learn to like plain food, plain service, plain cooking.Learn to like fields, trees, brooks, hiking, rowing, climbing hills.Learn to like people, even though some of them may be different...different from you.Learn to like to work and enjoy the satisfaction doing your job as well as it can be done.Learn to like the song of birds, the companionship of dogs.Learn to like gardening, puttering around the house, and fixing things.Learn to like the sunrise and sunset, the beating of rain on the roof and windows, and the gentle fall of snow on a winter day.Learn to keep your wants simple and refuse to be controlled by the likes and dislikes of others.”― Lowell C. Bennion